Riverwalk Taste Testers

A downtown crawl with a little pageantry, a little nonsense, and a lot of material for future retellings.

Tonight’s only real rule

Have a blast. Look out for each other. Know your limits and respect everyone else’s. The game scores creativity, never consumption, and every challenge counts the same with a mocktail in hand. Drink water, eat the apps, tip your bartenders, and get home safe. Nobody’s night should end in the ER or a jail cell: the only thing you’re legally required to take home tonight is a good story.

Never drink and drive. Plan your ride home before you start.

0 / 615 pts

0 of 30 challenges completed

City Winery at the RiverwalkThe Pour-OverBar 1 of 511 W Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601Directions

Start polished, then get weird enough to earn the name Taste Testers.

Create your crawl

Tiny TappThe Side QuestBar 2 of 5 · 5 min walk55 W Riverwalk South, Chicago, IL 60601Directions

This is where the crawl stops behaving like a normal plan.

Create your crawl

RebarThe Fork in the RoadBar 3 of 5 · 12 min walk401 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611Directions

This stop has enough structure for a plan and enough chaos for a detour.

The Northman Beer & Cider GardenThe Wind-UpBar 4 of 5 · 11 min walk233 E Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601Directions

The crawl is officially in its bragging phase.

Lizzie McNeill'sLast Call EnergyBar 5 of 5 · 7 min walk400 N McClurg Ct, Chicago, IL 60611Directions

End like you planned the whole thing, even if you clearly did not.

Bar 1 of 5 — City Winery at the Riverwalk

1.
Riverwalk RelicFind something in or around the bar that feels distinctly Chicago or riverwalk-adjacent: a skyline view, local sports nod, city map, or any piece of decor that could only live here. If there are multiple options, choose the one most likely to start an argument.
2.
First Impression FrameMake a 0.5x group shot that looks like the opening image of a very serious documentary about your night. Everyone needs one different expression: confident, skeptical, chaotic, and already planning the next stop.
3.
The 1-to-10 CommissionAsk a willing nearby person or another group to give your crew a number from 1 to 10 for your fake reputation as a bar crawl team. If nobody wants to play, do a full group rock-paper-scissors with dramatic commentary and crown a spokesperson.
4.
Group CalibrationAs a team, invent a one-sentence official mission statement for the night and say it like you mean it. Make it sound way too important for people standing in a bar.
5.
Best Guess TrophyCreate a fake superlative for the person who seems most likely to keep this crawl organized, then nominate one second person for the exact opposite title. Keep it affectionate and make the titles absurdly specific.
6.
Opening ToastOrder a round of whatever each person wants and give a toast to the first stop: the first place, the first photo, and the first bad idea of the evening.

Bar 2 of 5 — Tiny Tapp

1.
Spot the SignatureFind a detail that says 'bar' louder than everything else in the room: a neon sign, a menu board, a row of taps, a dartboard, a jukebox, or the most committed bar mirror you can see. If there are none, choose the closest substitute and defend your pick.
2.
Crew PosterTake a posed photo that looks like a fake concert poster for Taste Testers. Keep it clean, centered, and slightly overconfident, with the most theatrical person front and center.
3.
Bar Bingo, One SquarePick one classic bar feature you can actually spot or reasonably claim for this room, then tell another willing group or nearby person your best one-line pitch for why your crew deserves a perfect score. If no one bites, do the pitch to your own table like a press conference.
4.
Temporary TitlesHave the group appoint a temporary captain, hype person, and troublemaker for this stop only. The rules: each role must be declared in one sentence and cannot be self-assigned.
5.
Official Crew AnthemInvent a six-word anthem for the night and perform it as if it will be remembered forever. Bonus if someone gives the opening line and the rest of the group has to finish it together.
6.
Signature SipOrder a round and give this stop an official nickname before the drinks arrive. The round can be anything each person actually wants; the nickname should sound like a chapter title.

Bar 3 of 5 — Rebar

1.
Snack CandidateFind the item on the menu or in the room that feels most likely to become the group's favorite story later. If food is available, pick one shared snack and describe it like a court exhibit; if not, describe the snack this place deserves.
2.
Tabletop TrailerMake a 10-second silent movie trailer for the rest of the night using only poses, gestures, and the table in front of you. No dialogue, no props from outside the group, and no mercy for bad acting.
3.
Neighborly AskPolitely ask another willing table or nearby person to choose which of two fake crew mottos sounds more believable. Keep it brief, take the first answer, and thank them like they just settled a legal matter.
4.
Snack SummitAs a group, agree on one shared snack or appetizer in under 60 seconds. Treat the order like a treaty and let the loudest person lose if the vote is tied.
5.
Best Rebar EnergyGive the stop a fake award title that sounds slightly too formal, then have the group vote on which person is most likely to win it by accident. Keep the award positive and specific.
6.
Menu and MoodOrder your usual round plus the shared snack, then each person has to name one mood the group is bringing into this stop. The mood names should be the kind you could put on a poster without explaining them.

Bar 4 of 5 — The Northman Beer & Cider Garden

1.
Cider Garden ScanFind something here that makes the place feel open and social: a communal table, outdoor edge, seasonal sign, tap list, or any feature that works as proof this is not a random room. If the obvious thing is missing, choose the best substitute and make your case.
2.
Slow-Motion EntranceRecord a short video of the group walking three steps like you are arriving in a documentary about the most important regulars in town. One person should overcommit to the opening frame, and everyone else should react like this is normal.
3.
Mildly FamousAsk a willing stranger or another group which of your fake band names sounds most sellable, then accept their answer without negotiating. If no one wants to play, do a silent vote and let the winner deliver a one-line acceptance speech.
4.
Most Likely ToThe group must vote on who is most likely to start a new tradition on this crawl, then that person has to announce the tradition in one sentence. Keep it charming, not chaotic for chaos's sake.
5.
Cider Name DraftInvent a fake signature drink or cider name for the table and give it a ridiculous menu description in under 15 words. The best one should sound like something a confident bartender would roll with.
6.
Round of the HourOrder a round and toast to the stop that felt most like a turning point so far. Everyone should clink to the same phrase, then immediately use the fake drink name the group just invented at least once.

Bar 5 of 5 — Lizzie McNeill's

1.
Final FindFind the most finale-looking thing in the room: a sign, a shelf, a flag, a framed photo, a sports nod, or anything that feels like it should appear in the last scene of a movie. If the obvious pick is weak, choose the next-best option and give it a better title.
2.
Curtain Call ClipMake a short video of the whole group doing a one-beat victory pose, then freezing as if the camera caught the exact end credits moment. The pose should look proud, not polished.
3.
Public VerdictAsk a willing nearby person, or another table if they seem open to it, to judge whether your crew looks more like a legendary cabal, a debate club, or a future trivia team. Take the first answer and make it sound official.
4.
Whole-Crew FinaleEveryone has to contribute one line to a shared closing speech about the night, and the final line must sound like the title of a movie nobody can forget. Keep it celebratory and slightly ridiculous.
5.
Boss Round: The VerdictThe whole group orders one last round and stands for a final toast that declares the official legacy of Taste Testers tonight. Each person must add one word to the title of the evening before the toast is finished.
6.
Last FrameTake one final photo that looks like the end of a heist movie: tight group, direct stare, and one person acting like they know a secret about the city. It should feel like the end of the story, not the end of the night.

Open this crawl:

https://www.pubcrawlgames.com/samplecrawls/river-north-chicago

Fully playable sober. Skip any challenge that doesn't feel safe or appropriate.

River North, Chicago

Tonight’s only real rule